Studies of the development and subsequent reduction of swelling of mammalian cerebral cortex under isosmotic conditions in vitro

TLDR: The ionic parameters of incubation media which foster both the development and subsequent reduction of swelling of slices of cerebral cortex under isosmotic conditions of incubations in vitro are described and proposals for possible clinical applications are suggested.

Abstract: The ionic parameters of incubation media which foster both the development and subsequent reduction of swelling of slices of cerebral cortex under isosmotic conditions of incubation in vitro are described. A linear relationship between increasing chloride concentrations in incubation media and progressive swelling of tissue slices (under conditions of constant temperature and K+ concentrations and isotonicity of incubation media) is demonstrated. Subsequent reduction of chloride concentration in incubation media together with reciprocal replacement by isethionate is associated with significant and characteristic reduction in the volume of tissue swelling when all other conditions of incubation, including isotonicity of the media, are kept constant. The ionic composition of the fluid of swelling under different conditions of incubation is derived together with the ionic composition and expected transmembrane potentials of the neuronal compartment of cerebral cortex in vitro. Mechanisms involved in the development and subsequent reduction of swelling of cerebral cortex in vitro are discussed, and proposals for possible clinical applications are suggested.